Friday December 12th 2025
Scottish Borders Design Awards, organised by Scottish Borders Council
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Designs which are making the Scottish Borders a better place to live were recognised at a recent awards ceremony.
The winners of the Scottish Borders Design Awards, organised by Scottish Borders Council, were announced at a ceremony held at the Great Tapestry of Scotland in Galashiels.
Celebrating their 40th anniversary, the awards are one of Scotland’s longest-running platforms for showcasing design excellence at a local level.
With a total of 42 submissions received across all categories, the awards recognise outstanding achievements in architecture, conservation, place-making and sustainable design across the region.
The ceremony was hosted by Councillor Simon Mountford, and the awards were assessed by an independent judging panel consisting of retired architect-planner Charles Strang, retired Scottish Government planner Graham Marchbank, and architect and urban designer Una Lee.
The judges reviewed all applications, undertook site visits to short-listed projects, and carried out final deliberations before selecting the winners.
The ‘Large Project’ award went to Stallan Brand for its “transformative” work on the new Earlston Primary School.
The ‘Small Project’ award went to Gray Macpherson Architects for its “beautifully crafted timber extension” to Sunnyside Farmhouse near Hawick.
Angus Architecture was recognised with a ‘Residential’ award for tenant renewal work at Kirkbrae in Galashiels and 56three Architects for SBHA landed the ‘regeneration’ award for its transformation of bedsits in Whitefield Crescent, Newtown St Boswells.
The ‘Conservation’ award went to Narro Associates & Reiach and Hall for work on Gala Fairydean Rovers Stand and SBC Architects department received the ‘Placemaking’ award for its enhancement work at Trimontium Museum in Melrose.
The headline award, Scottish Borders Building of the Year, was presented to the Trimontium Museum after the judges praised its sensitive handling of museum interpretation, its strong response to the conservation area, and its “calm, well-crafted internal environment that enriches understanding of the region’s Roman heritage”.
Councillor Simon Mountford, chair of the council’s Planning and Building Standards Committee, said: “For 40 years, the Scottish Borders Design Awards have celebrated the skill, ambition and creativity of those who shape our built environment.
“This year’s submissions show just how much design talent we have in the region. This creativity strengthens our communities, enhances our heritage and supports a more sustainable future.”
Charles Strang, member of the independent judging panel, said: “The judging panel was hugely impressed by the breadth and quality of submissions this year. We undertook site visits across the region and saw first-hand the care, craft and imagination being applied to buildings large and small.”
“What stood out in the strongest projects was a clarity of purpose. Selecting winners was not easy, but the projects recognised today represent excellence in their respective fields and highlight the value of thoughtful, well-executed design in shaping the future of the Scottish Borders.”
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